United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation facts for kids

The United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation, also known as the Shawnee Nation, United Remnant Band (URB), is a group in Ohio. Its members identify as descendants of the Shawnee people. In 2016, the group became a church.

There are three federally recognized tribes of Shawnee people. These tribes are based in Oklahoma.

What is a Recognized Tribe?

Even though the group uses the word nation in its name, it is not a federally recognized tribe. It is also not a state-recognized tribe. In Ohio, there is no official office to manage Native American affairs. Ohio does not have any state-recognized tribes.

In 1979 and 1980, the Ohio state government held meetings about recognizing the United Remnant Band. The group shared historical and family documents to show their connection to the Shawnee people.

The Ohio General Assembly (the state's law-making body) held many meetings. In 1980, they passed a special statement called a "Joint Resolution." This statement recognized the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band. However, this was a congratulatory resolution. It was mostly a formal way to say "hello" or "good job." It did not create any laws or give the group official recognition.

A former URB member, Dark Rain Thom, tried to help the group get recognition in the 1970s and 1980s. She later joined another group that is also not officially recognized.

Many groups in Ohio say they have Shawnee ancestors. One example is the Vinyard Indian Settlement. However, Ohio does not officially recognize any tribes. It also does not have a way for tribes to become recognized.

How the Group Started

In 1971, people in Ohio started the United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation. They set it up as a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. This means it is a type of charity that does not have to pay certain taxes.

Jerry L. "Hawk" Pope led the URB for over 40 years until he passed away in 2015. In 2016, the group was officially accepted as a church by the IRS.

Today, this nonprofit organization is called Zane Shawnee Caverns. It is a Christian charity. In 2021, the Tides Foundation gave $150,000 to the organization.

The leaders of the nonprofit in 2022–23 were:

• Lukas Peshewa Pope: Tribal chief, business chief, and executive officer.
• Beverly Nightwind Isaacs: Nation's mother, business assistant, and secretary-treasurer.
• Lacy Little Bear Pope: Clan mother and business secretary-treasurer.

Who Can Join?

The Shawnee Nation, URB says that people who want to join must show their family history. They need to prove they have at least one-eighth Shawnee ancestry. This is like having one great-grandparent who was Shawnee. For children, it's one-sixteenth if their parent can prove their ancestry.

Group Activities

Properties and Land

In 1989, the URB bought 110 acres of land near Urbana, Ohio. They also bought another 20 acres about three miles south of Urbana.

In 1995, the URB bought the Zane Caverns and a museum that was with it. This property is located between Zanesfield and Bellefontaine, Ohio. In total, they have bought 330 acres of land across four counties.

They renamed the 100-acre campground, museum, gift shop, caverns, and the land around them. It is now called the Zane Shawnee Caverns and Southwind Park.

The museum in Bellefontaine was made bigger. It was renamed the George Drouillard Museum. This museum is named after George Drouillard (1773–1810). He was a Shawnee interpreter and hunter who was part of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806).

Special Coins

The US Mint (which makes US money) asked the United Remnant Band to sew special pouches. These pouches were for the 2004 US Mint Lewis and Clark Coin. However, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board told the US Mint that the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band of Ohio could not make and sell "authentic 'Indian' products."

This is because of a law called the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA). Under this law, only members of federally or state-recognized tribes can sell their art as "Native American made" or "Indian made." Because of this, the US Mint gave money back to customers who bought the pouches.